welcome to these deep breathing exercises for relaxation these guided deep breathing
exercises connect your breath body and mind to relieve stress anxiety and tension
start your deep breathing and relaxation exercises in a warm quiet location
give yourself these next 10 minutes to relax and rejuvenate your body
prepare by making yourself comfortable either lying down or sitting in a supported position
if you're lying down you may like to use a pillow to support your head and another pillow
to support your knees you can cover your body with a light throw to help you feel warm and protected
make yourself feel comfortable
now close your eyes take a moment to notice the sensations in your body
please start scanning your body from head neck
take a moment to notice the sensations in your body what
signs is your body giving you start scanning your body from your head neck and shoulders
moving down to your chest back belly buttocks thighs calves and feet perhaps you can notice
normal sensations or sensations that are out of the ordinary such as tingling or muscle tightness
simply observe these sensations rather than judging them as good or bad
now draw your attention to your breath does your breath feel shallow or deep
are you breathing through your nose or your mouth
try to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth during
these deep breathing exercises don't worry if you can't breathe
in through your nose instead simply breathe in and out through your mouth
let's start your deep breathing exercises now place one hand on your chest and the other hand
on your upper belly above your navel to feel how your belly moves as you inhale and exhale
deep breathing exercises are always gentle rather than forceful
keep your breathing smooth and gentle throughout these exercises
now breathing slowly and deeply through your nose to fill your lungs with air feel your belly expand
and move outwards beneath your hand and now slowly breathe out through your mouth allowing
your breath to fall away gently and notice your belly flatten and sink down as you breathe out
your chest should remain motionless during your deep breathing exercises and you
should feel the hand on your chest remain completely still as you inhale and exhale
and this the correct way to breathe deeply and fill your lungs with air using your diaphragm
repeat this deep breathing exercise once more start by inhaling slowly and deeply
feel your belly rise and your waist widen as you inhale and now exhale slowly allowing your
breath to fall away noticing your belly sink down and now return to your normal breathing
this is the correct way to do deep breathing exercises for relieving stress and anxiety
next we're going to incorporate these deep breathing exercises into a whole body relaxation
you may like to relax your arms down by your sides now or in a position
of comfort resting them across your lower belly
start by noticing your feet feel where your feet are in contact with the surface beneath them
perhaps your heels touching the ground if you're lying down soften the arches of your feet and
relax your toes softening involves mindful focus and visualizing the muscles release and let go
now move your attention to your calf muscles
notice the area of contact between your calves and the supporting surface
soften your kneecaps and as you do so notice how your thighs relax at the same time
allow your buttocks to relax and feel them soften and expand
feel your hips and your lower back release and sink down as your buttocks relax and
let go of tension next direct your attention to your abdomen or belly
deep breathing exercises relax your belly and pelvic floor muscles around your pelvic openings
breathing deeply using your deep breathing exercise technique
inhale slowly and deeply directing your breath down into your belly
feel your belly expand as you inhale and then soften and relax as you slowly exhale
repeat this deep breathing exercise once more breathing in deeply and expanding your belly
and then softening your belly and pelvic floor muscles as you exhale
and return to your normal breath now draw your attention to your chest and shoulders
let your rib cage relax and notice your chest sink down
relax your shoulders so they move down away from your ears
release the muscles between your shoulder blades and allow your shoulder blades to spread apart
and now notice your arms feel where your upper arms and forearms are touching the
supporting surface relax your wrists and hands allowing your fingers to feel loose
finally draw your attention to your face notice whether your jaw is tense or relaxed
relax and unclench your jaw allowing it to become slack and loose
pay attention to what your tongue is doing
drop your tongue from the roof of your mouth and let it relax
and feel how relaxing your tongue releases your jaw
soften your lips and the muscles around your mouth relax your cheeks
smooth out your eyelids and notice how doing this softens your brow and your forehead
now sense the smoothness of your whole face relax your hairline above your forehead
around your temples your ears and down to the nape of your neck
and now feel the warmth calm and relaxation in your whole face and your whole body
let's complete this routine with two deep breathing exercises
inhale slowly and deeply to expand your belly
and then as you slowly exhale allow your body
to sink down further as if melting into the surface beneath your body
repeat this deep breath once more
and now return to your regular breath you may like to remain in this relaxed
posture and when you feel ready gradually reawaken your body starting with small
movements of your fingers and toes know that you can return to your breath at any time throughout
your day and when you need to reset or need an anchor to calm and still your mind just breathe
this practice of connecting your breath body and mind helps you relieve stress and anxiety
promoting relaxation and a sense of well-being within